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China Defeats Qantas Young Socceroos

The Qantas Young Socceroos have suffered a 1-0 loss against China in their opening qualifying match for the 2007 FIFA World Youth Cup.

The Qantas Young Socceroos have suffered a 1-0 loss against China in their opening qualifying match for the 2007 FIFA World Youth Cup.

The AFC Youth Championship match was played in humid conditions and on an extremely bumpy pitch at the Salt Lake Stadium in Kolkata.

China scored the winning goal midway through the second half with substitute Xu Deen breaking through the middle of the defence to score past exposed Australian goalkeeper Tando Velaphi.

Neither team was able to gain the ascendancy during the match with the respective goalkeepers rarely called into action.

“The match always looked like a game of few chances with just one goal in it and so it proved,” said Qantas Young Socceroos coach Ange Postecoglou.

“I thought we did fairly well in the middle third of the pitch but we got caught asleep a little with the goal and we paid the penalty.

“It is certainly a disappointing result for us but we will now focus our energies towards winning the other two matches.”

China hit the side-netting with a shot on the half hour while Australia-s best chance saw striker David Williams- goalbound shot turned around the post ten minutes into the second half.

Williams part of a forward line that included Hyundai A-League duo Nathan Burns and Dario Vidosic, however Adelaide United striker Bruce Djite was suspended having received two yellow cards in the preliminary qualifying matches.

Australia will now face Thailand tomorrow before completing their Group B schedule against the United Arab Emirates on Friday.

The 16-nation AFC Youth Championship will conclude with the final on November 12 with the top four nations to qualify for the 2007 FIFA World Youth Cup in Canada.